The Customs House: South Shields' riverside home for theatre, film and art

Standing on the south bank of the Tyne beside the ferry landing, The Customs House is one of South Shields' proudest landmarks. With views across and along the river, it has become the town's home for theatre, cinema, music and art.

The building has had a remarkable life. Designed by the borough architect T.M. Clemence, it was built in 1863 and 1864 in a classical Italianate style and opened in July 1864 as a custom house for goods passing through Shields Harbour. An extension followed in 1878 for the local Marine Board. As shipping declined, the building fell derelict in the 1970s.

Its rescue came in the early 1990s, when plans were confirmed to restore and extend it as an arts centre with £2.5 million of funding. The Customs House opened in its new role in November 1994. Nearby warehouses on Dalton Lane were later refurbished into offices, a rehearsal space and a community room, linked to the main building by a glass bridge. The building is Grade II listed and sits within the Mill Dam conservation area.

Today the venue includes a theatre of more than 400 seats, a 145-seat studio and cinema, gallery spaces, a restaurant, a private dining room and an events suite. Bella's, the refurbished theatre bar by the river, is open for drinks before shows.

The programme is wonderfully varied. Recent listings have included Sense and Sensibility, a Fleetwood Mac tribute night and a Halloween half-term treat for families, alongside a cinema offering everything from blockbusters to independent films.

The Customs House is a charity, and all of its profits go towards working with the people of South Tyneside. Its long-serving executive director, Ray Spencer MBE, who led the venue until March 2024, became so closely associated with the town that he was nicknamed "Mr South Shields".

Visiting is easy, too. Theatre ticket holders get free Metro and Shields Ferry travel to and from their performance, valid two hours before and after the show, so a trip across the river from North Shields can be part of the evening.

What's on listings, tickets and ways to support the charity are on The Customs House website.